The UK's Conservative Party has raised concerns about the Labour government's deal with Mauritius regarding the Chagos Islands, particularly the future of the Diego Garcia military base.
Amid reports that the new Mauritian prime minister wants to renegotiate the Chagos Islands deal with the Labour government, the Tories have tabled an urgent question on the status of it.The deal as it stands means the UK will hand over sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius , except for the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia , which will remain under British control for at least the next 99 years.The island is home to a strategic military base used by the UK and the US.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs that the government welcomes yesterday's 'reiteration by prime minister Ramgoolan of his willingness to conclude a deal with the UK'.He went on: 'We are confident the agreement is in both sides' shared interests, and we will continue working with the new Mauritian government to finalise the deal.'Mr Doughty said that this statement follows 'his commitment to completing the negotiations following his election in an exchange of letters with the prime minister'.Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel then rose to say that she just saw the person she wanted to answer the question, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, 'leg it from the House'.She went on: 'In a world of increasing danger and change and uncertainty, why are they so keen to surrender this strategic asset'.She asked why, if the deal is so good, ministers are being 'so secretive about the detail', if the deal for the military base will be able to be extended after 99 years, if the UK and US will still have full autonomy on the base, what safeguards there will be against China's influence in the region, how much the deal will cost, and 'why Labour is putting our security at risk'.Mr Doughty said the deal protects UK security by protecting the base against legal uncertainty 'well into the next century'.He went on: 'She asked me would we be able to extend the lease? The answer is yes.'Would we continue to have the autonomy or our operations for those allies? Absolutely yes
Chagos Islands Diego Garcia UK Mauritius Labour Government Conservative Party Military Base Treaty Negotiations
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